staged to sell ~ styled to perfection

Author: Ashley Littman

We recently wrapped up a master suite project for some wonderful clients. They have a large and very busy family and were in need a of an updated and welcoming master suite where mom and dad could have a little down time at the end of the day. This couple was so wise to spend their time and decorating dollars on this often neglected part of the home. One of the great things about this project was that the bedroom and attached sitting room were pretty much a blank canvas. The suite is very spacious and gets an amazing amount of natural light from the many windows in the space. We knew it could be transformed into a beautiful bedroom for this busy couple. Our goal: A cophisticated space that was fabulous to wake up to and a welcoming retreat at the end of the day. Cozy + Sophisticated = Cophisticated. We started with paint. The walls were beige, however, the color was a bit peachy for the overall look we wanted to achieve. All beiges are NOT created equal as you …

I wrote this post the other day about the holidays and how I’m trying not to be a baby Scrinch this year and be stressed out about making things “Perfect”. A really sweet reader friend commented that what she liked best about the post was that it had one or two “specifics on how to make shortcuts feel like enough. Because they are, if we let them be.” I love this and it is so true! Shortcuts can absolutely be enough if we let them be. Much better than being overwhelmed and doing nothing, right? So with that in mind I thought I’d share one of my favorite holiday decorating shortcuts. Here goes: Purchase a poinsettia – any color you like. Collect 5-6 of your favorite small vases and/or small bowls. Cut poinsettia flowers the right length for the containers you have. (Apparently the blooms will last longer if you sear the cut end over a candle, however, then it becomes less of a shortcut so I just stick them in the water – no searing.) Put them …

Dear Friends, I had so many ideas for a December blog post. “How to Decorate the Perfect Tree”, “Recipe for a Perfect Holiday Party”, “Don’t Panic, but Your Mother-in-Law is Coming”. And then it occurred to me that these may be the last things some of us need to hear this time of year. Enough already, right? So I started thinking instead about how we might bring ourselves a little less stress and a little more joy during the holidays. There is no decorating advice in this post and no pretty pictures, so if this is the only reason you’re here, feel free to stop reading now. Consider yourself warned. : ) As for me, when December rolls around, I become a very stressed out, grumpy and not nice to be around person. I complain endlessly. Like if Scrooge and the Grinch had a baby together. The to-do list is longer than what one human could ever pull off, the presents need to be conceived/purchased/wrapped, some entertaining should be done, the greeting cards must go out, blah, …

Sometimes a room is just hard to finish. You’ve got paint on the walls, treatments on the windows, the important pieces of furniture in place, but you’re just not quite there yet. You run out of the time, ideas and energy needed for taking things from just “fine” to “fantastic”. This is a predicament many of our clients face. It was the case for a super sweet and very busy family we worked with recently. They had a wonderful space for a family room. Great cathedral ceilings, wood floors, a fireplace, nice blinds on the windows and the perfect leather sofa. But the room needed “finishing” and we were so happy to be able to help. Here’s a look at the room before: They were close – 75% of the way there. This room just needed life on the walls, accessories and a few small pieces of furniture to look pulled together and live up to it’s real potential. Here’s the finished family room. Hello fantastic! The rug and coffee table were updated with fresh, …

Spring is really and truly finally here! Open the windows, air out the house, let the spring cleaning begin. And while you’re opening, airing and cleaning, don’t overlook your fireplace. I don’t know about yours, but mine worked a lot of overtime this winter. It looks something like this at the moment. It is dirty, tired and smelly. This is not very nice to come home to. And since many of us have fireplaces in the rooms we spend the most time in, why not make them pretty for spring and summer? First, start with a really good cleaning. There are some instruction to get you going here. This is not a fun job, but you will be so very happy that you did and you will no longer be greeted by that sooty smell. Now that it’s clean, let’s turn that black hole into something a little more appealing. The first thing that comes to mind is a beautiful green plant. Ferns are always pretty and will bring a wonderful, spring-like feeling into any space. Other …

Have you noticed how often dogs are popping up in interior design photos lately? I’m seeing so many pictures of adorable pooches in their beautiful homes and I love how much life they add to the images. Check out this cutie-pie on his owner’s very eye catching staircase. And this guy – I’m thinking he owns this spot. It’s highly possible that this is one pampered Poodle, as it should be of course. So many beautiful shoes to chew when Mommy’s not looking. A friend said to me recently that life is easier when your dog matches your upholstery. Case in point here… And here. Don’t these two have a beautiful place to wait for Mommy and Daddy to come home? Look at this little French Bulldog and his hip and colorful pad! And who wouldn’t want to come home to this face? And that fabulous color on the walls? I saved my favorite for last. I have a huge …